University Comes Together in Prayer

#PrayforDrNelson
Prayer in schools has been an issue as long as I can remember. It is uncommon to see large prayer groups while walking through a college campus, but today at The University of North Alabama, a large group of students stood in the middle of campus to pray for a beloved professor.

Dr. Larry Nelson is known by every person on UNA's campus and he is loved by all. He is a history professor and a mentor. He teaches religious classes and holds Bible studies for all types of students. He  welcomes students into his home with he and his wife.

UNA Family Comes Together 
Dr. Nelson was in a car accident on Monday April 29 and returned to class shortly after. After complaining about a headache, his wife and daughter encouraged him to go to Hellen Keller Hospital where doctors found a tumor on his brain and rushed him to Vanderbilt Hospital in Tennessee. http://mc.vanderbilt.edu

At 1 am Monday night, over 50 students gathered at the amphitheater to pray for Dr. Nelson and praise God. The same thing happened on Tuesday at noon. Students walking by joined in to pray for a man that some of them did not even know.

Tweet, Pray, Share
Social media sites were full of prayers for Dr. Larry Nelson and his family and updates were sent out every few hours to be reposted by students and faculty. It was amazing to see what an impact one man has made and the influence he has had on the faith of the students. He openly expresses his love for Jesus Christ and he and his wife use the campus as a mission field.
twitter.com/larryverlie

Revival?
What do you think about this revival on campus due to the unfortunate news about a beloved faculty member? Do you think it's a big deal that such a large number of students met to pray in the middle of campus? Do you think it should happen more often?

Looking for "Helpers"

             As with many tragedies, the explosions that occurred Monday at the Boston Marathon left people in a state of shock. Innocent people were targeted during what should have been a time of joy and achievement, and the reason behind the explosions remains unknown.

            Easy access to internet and citizen journalists helped the news spread quickly, including graphic videos and photos of victims. The news often emphasizes misfortune during times like these because shock grabs people’s attention.

You May Feel Stress from News on Television 

Do you ever just get an uneasy feeling after watching bad news on television for a while? According to Medical News Today, a study found that some people can be significantly affected by traumatic news they didn’t actually experience but only watched on television, and may even display characteristics of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). There is a high correlation between the amount of television someone watches about a particular event and the likelihood that they will be affected by it.

 While death and devastation should certainly not be downplayed or ignored, it is important to focus on the positive that emerges during tragedies as well.

Social Media’s Influence on News

            Social media has been helping people accomplish that. Twitter hashtags such #BostonHelp and #BostonStrong have been trending to show support for those affected, and a quote by Fred Rogers (you probably know him from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) has been spreading around Facebook and Twitter:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

–Fred Rogers

Focusing on the helpers during unhappy times can prevent us from dwelling only on the negative and feeling helpless. We need to remember that while there are people who do terrible things, there are also many more people who have come together to encourage and help those in need.

Stay Informed and Supportive without Fixating on a Sad Event

            Because the study found a positive correlation between the amount of television viewed about an event and the likelihood of a person being significantly affected, a suggestion might be to read a summary of what took place and then move on rather than continuing to read/watch every single update that is given. This way you are staying informed of current events but you are trying not to let them consume you.

            Another suggestion is to search for the positive stories in the news and read those as well. While upsetting stories do come up frequently, there are also many inspiring stories out there. The positive stories you read could be about anything from good deeds to accomplishments, as long as you find them pleasant. This article about acts of kindness during the Boston Marathon explosions is an excellent example of looking for helpers.

            I think that stories of people who act sincerely out of the goodness of their heart can leave us with a sense of hope and happiness. They remind us that no matter how much negativity we encounter in the world there will always be more people with good intentions.

           Do you think that there are too many traumatic news stories compared to uplifting ones, or are they necessary? Is there any way to stay informed of current events without being affected by them?

•  http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/acts-of-kindness-in-the-wake-of-the-boston-marathon-bombings-155030075.html 
•  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/144839.php

Keep calm and STOP bullying!

Although we are college students, we still hear the term 'bullying' all the time. It starts in elementary school and continues until some are old and grey. It is a serious matter that is constantly talked about. Some of us have dealt with it from personal experience while others have witnessed it.

Recently 15 year old Audrie Pott made the decision to take her own life after becoming a victim to online bullying.



Audrie was allegedly sexually assaulted at a party and then demeaning pictures of the assault were posted online. She then took to her Facebook account and posted that her life was ruined and that it was the worst day later. Sadly that was her last post because following that she hung herself. This past Thursday, seven months after the tragedy, three 16 year old boys have been arrested on charges of sexual battery. Justice has been served….or has it?

I don’t have the solution to bullying but I can offer a suggestion. I honestly believe that bullying should be against the law. If bullying was an offense, it would seriously cut down on the crime and suicide rates. We all know that a lot of mass attacks come from people who have been victims to bullying.



An example would be James Holmes who on July 20, 2012 decided to fire off shots at a theatre in Aurora, Colorado that left 12 dead and 58 injured. He had no criminal record prior to the shooting but he was a victim to bullying. And another example is 20 year old Dylan Quick who decided to stab 14 people at Lone Star College near Houston Texas on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. He is also a victim to bullying.

Bullying can lead people to hurt themselves or others. I wish we could all treat people the way that we would like to be treated but I know that, that doesn’t always happen. However, if we witness somebody being bullied, I feel like we should be a friend to that person and we should also tell an authority figure. Bullying is a serious problem in today’s society and I don’t feel like the law addresses it, until it is too late. But if someone is reported for bullying, I feel like there should be consequences. It could start with tickets and then go up from there. But it should definitely be addressed as a crime.



What do you feel about bullying? Is there really nothing that can be done about it until it’s too late or should it be addressed early on?



-Kenisha Durley

Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/audrie-pott-california-teen-tortured-belief-friends-sexually/story?id=18943024#.UWtO4yoo6tU

http://www.usnews.com/news/newsgram/articles/2013/04/10/texas-stabber-dylan-andrew-quick-was-bullied-fantasized-about-murdering-with-knife-reports-say

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/24/james-holmes-threats-aurora-colorado_n_1828616.html

A Sequel in the Works

Something I've noticed about Twitter is that most of the time it works similarly to a flock of sheep. For this analogy to not end there, let's pretend that a topic is synonymous with a patch of grass.

Somehow a topic will flare up on Twitter and it doesn't take too long for things to escalate so that it seems the entire website is devoted to that topic. While sometimes the topics discussed are minor, such as #ILoveAGirlWho, there are some serious news stories that break on the site, such as the Twitter feud between members of One Direction and members of The Wanted. Lately, people have taken to Twitter to discuss their opinions on North Korea and the rising level of threats that they are sending to the US.

Gay Marriage & The Fight for Equal Rights

Last week while casually scrolling on Instagram, I couldn't help but notice the sea of red equal signs taking over my picture timeline. Under each picture it read "Proposition 8: Equality for all" As soon as I saw Beyonce repost the picture, I knew I needed to find out what the hype was all about!

Supposedly, the image above represents the equal rights for gay marriage. Awhile back, California passed the right for gay couples to engage in marriage. Now it seems as if they are trying to ban it (Proposition 8). Supreme Court hasn't made any decisions on what the final outcome will be, but what do you believe in or hope for?

I do not believe that homosexuality is completely right; however, I do not think we should control another person's choice that he or she may make in life! I'm hoping Proposition 8 is not passed to ban gay marriage. I think we are all entitled to whatever we please with our lives. Sometimes you cannot help who you love. 

What are your thoughts?

Jasmine Redus

Student Loans: The Good, The Bad, And The Impossible

As college students, I'm sure most of us have had some experience with student loans. While student loans are, without a doubt, a worthwhile investment, they seem to be an increasing burden on the typical American graduate.

With the price of tuition constantly increasing, loans have become another necessary evil in the lives of students. Sure, they're a great way to build credit, they have a low interest rate, and they're absolutely necessary for most students, but how big are the consequences?

It's no secret that graduates have been having a hard time finding employment in their fields after college. Yet, they leave college with roughly $27,000 in debt with no way to pay that back.

With tuition increasing and career availability decreasing, are student loans getting young adults in over their heads right out of the gate? What can be done about the situation? How does this debt end for graduates?

I don't pretend to have the answer. I can't see how this will all work out. I just hope we can find a solution before higher education become unattainable for the average American.

"There's an App for that"

With iPhones constantly being updated, it seems there is an app for virtually everything these days. From alarm clocks to Angry Birds to calorie counters, apps are almost a neccesity when owning a cell phone.

I stumbled upon an article about how busniesses, in the future, can use an app to do some of their public relations work. This app will track tags of the comapny's name and create watchlists that lets the company know who is searching for them. The link to the article is http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/having-pr-crisis-there-s-probably-app-147998

My question is, do you think we are becoming too dependent on our apps? I rely on my alarm, weather, and Twitter app every day and that's not even counting when I'm bored or have nothing to do.

Also, with apps becoming smarter and more efficient, do you think they could eventually replace jobs? An app like the public relations example above does many things that a PR agency does but at a fraction of the cost.

From Gangnam Style to Harlem Shake

Baauer's name is almost as unknown to the American public as Psy's began, despite the wave of "Harlem Shake" videos bombarding YouTube within the last few weeks. From UNA to professional sports teams, everyone is making their own "personalized" 30 second videos. Just like all the Gangnam Style parodies, people are following the same formula with their own spin. 

Are these videos a chance for people to be original and customize a widely disseminated idea? How much is something customized if it's essentially the same as what everyone else is doing? Is it simply a creative way to fit in with the newest trend?

In a trend-driven society that's always looking for the next big thing, how do we value content and originality in entertainment? Do we have any real concept of "good" or "bad"?

Vine

It has never been easier to take and share pictures and statuses with the world through social media, and the new Vine app is now making it possible to bring the words and pictures to life with videos. 

“Vine is the best social networking app since Twitter,” said UNA senior Adam Talmage. “It’s the easiest way to make someone laugh in under ten seconds.”

Vine is an application for smart phones that allows users to record six-second videos and post them on a feed. 

“You can record in segments so you can be really creative with it” Talmage said.  “You can record something two seconds at a time and wait to finish it so that it gives a different illusion and tells a story.”

Love REALLY does HURT!

This past Wednesday, NBC’s Law & Order: SVU caused a huge uproar with a fictional love gone wrong story that was ‘surprisingly’ similar to Chris Brown and Rihanna’s real-life story. The episode which is titled “My Funny Valentine” focuses on a rising pop star Micha Green and her violent hip-hop boyfriend Caleb Bryant (Really?). The opening scene shows Micha being attacked by Caleb after she questions him about flirting with a backup singer. He is shown cursing at her, throwing her down, pulling her hair, choking her and then punching her. The next morning her battered face is seen on the cover of a major newspaper and it is all over TV.

Grade Lawsuit

The Huffington Post recently posted an article about a former graduate student of Lehigh University who sued over a course grade of a C-plus, claiming that the grade prevented her from becoming a licensed therapist. The student, Megan Thode, sought $1.3 million in damages (the amount of money that not being a therapist would cost her during her career) and for her grade to be changed to a B. The judge ruled against Thode in the case.

Thode’s C was the result of her being awarded zero out of 25 participation points in the class—a grade she said was given to her because she supports gay marriage. However, her teacher said the grade was because of Thode’s classroom behavior.

Starring Samuel L. Jackson..

It seems there are three big stories that have everyone tweeting, lately: the Valentine’s Day tragedy of Oscar Pistorius, the Russian meteor, and the constantly developing story of Christopher Dorner. While I would like to talk about a story that puts all other bad Valentine’s Day stories to shame or a YouTube video that isn’t the (still confusing) “Harlem Shake,” I can’t seem to get away from Christopher Dorner.


I have a professor who talked about how people in Hollywood are jumping at the rights to produce a movie that covers this story. I laughed in my typical “good one, professor” tone but the more I think about it, the more I enjoy the idea of this movie. This could be the perfect “hero turned villain through an obsession over self-pride” story, which happens to be my favorite genre.

A Thin Line Between Social Media & Love

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, what better subject to blog about than that about LOVE! The rapid growth of technology and our generation is almost a deadly combination. Especially when it comes to trying to form a long term relationship.

 The University of Notre Dame's football linebacker, Manti Te'o was a big buzz on the news a couple weeks ago when he found out that the girl he had been dating was actually a hoax.

TV shows like 'Catfish' also let us know that Manti isn't the only one living a lie. This makes one kind of wonder though. Where are we headed with the relationships they we try to make work? It's a little scary to know that when our children ask how their parents met, Twitter and Facebook will be the most common answers.

Is social media going a little too far? I believe that we definitely abuse it. Although there is nothing completely wrong with meeting someone on the internet, it is something that everyone should take precaution to.

Situations like Manti Te'o and other people on 'Catfish' will make it harder to trust any prospective partners in the future. I admit that I have found someone on a social network, and we dated for two years! However, I think I will use a little more precaution before I take that next step with online dating.

--*Jasmine Redus

Shoals Theater Sing A Long

Shoals Theater Sing A Long

Florence Main Street is teaming up with local businesses to raise money for the Shoals Theater by hosting a “Sound of Music” sing-a-long on Friday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 pm at the theater. 

Emily Thompson, owner of up and coming downtown business “Indie Spaces,” is a main contributor for the fundraiser. 

“We are having a sing-a-long to show the community what cool things we can do at Shoals Theater if the fundraiser is successful,” said Thompson. 

All money that is raised from the event will go to Florence Main Street into the Silver Screen Project fund, which is the fund that will be used for the Shoals Theater. 

“The community has asked for an independent film house downtown and we are working hard to make that happen,” Thompson said. “We just need the money to make the changes.” 

The traditional plays will also still be held at the theater, but requests have been made for documentaries as well as classical and foreign films to be shown as well.

“The sing-a-long will be more fun than just a regular play. We will also have a costume contest with prizes,” Thompson said. 

The goal for the theater is $70,000. Other fundraisers are lined up for the coming months in case the sing-a-long does not raise all of the money. 

There are 700 available seats in the theater and about 200 seats are expected to be filled.

According to Thompson, Teryl Shields, head of Florence Main Street, handled most of the marketing for the event. 

Other contributors for the event include PSI Apparel and Listerhill Credit Union. 

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online, at the Kennedy Douglas Center, at Indie Spaces, or at the door. 

Beauty Pageants

In the past few years, beauty pageants have been publicized in the media. Millions tuned in to watch Mallory Hagan be crowned Miss America and Norton Auditorium was sold out last week with people anxious to see who would become Miss UNA. The New York Times ran an article about the newly crowned Miss America explaining her small Brooklyn neighborhood. While most people find pageants to be entertaining, many are wondering about the effects that it has on young girls. With television shows like Toddlers and Tiaras that glorify young children from ages 0 to 12 to wear makeup, false teeth, and get spray tans, many are left wondering how these children will turn out to be when they get older. When the media airs shows like Toddlers and Tiaras, it influences young girls to believe that in order to feel beautiful and have confidence, makeup and being thin are necessities. While I understand that older girls who participate in pageants (high school and up) in order to compete for scholarships, the media should not be glorifying children’s pageants because of the negative effects it has on young children.